Just a little

So, here's a few things that have been going on so I don't get caught up again...

McKay's here for R&R and he was able to be here for the twins birthday!  YAY!  We'll take lots of pictures and post them to see how my handsome brother's doing...

I buckled kids into the car, and Sammy looks at me and says,"Grandma?" As clear as day!  I sure wanted to take him to see grandma after that... just cause he asked... but we were really out of milk.

We got to go to the Utah County fair... Fun!

And I promise I won't kill Ada... she's been pushing boundaries all over... but I hope starting Joy School next week will give her something new to think about.

Did I ever?

Did I ever tell you about the time that Jer made grilled cheese sandwiches in the waffle maker by mistake?  It was awesome!

Started again

So I started a new round of babysitting again.  I have to admit that I was a little nervous because I've been having issues with being patient with one 2 year old... but today it's been really fun actually.  And I've gotten more done because they've kept each other busy... I do have a bigger mess to clean up especially since Eliza likes to get into food and carry it all over... I've never really let my kids do that at my house... especially not crumbly or sticky things like crackers or fruit by the foot... and I have to remember that two 2 year olds are louder than one... but it's nice to know that Ada's learning to share and play nicely... and that she's playing instead of asking me for milk every other minute and to watch a movie.  It's going to be more restricted the next couple of months though... because I used to have an extra car seat... but Sammy's grown into that one.  So I've got Eliza on Mon and Weds for half a day and Amy's grandkids (3 and 1) half days on Wed, Thurs and Friday... we'll see if it works or if I'll need to ask them to find someone else...  last time I was able to do it and Mightyauthors... we'll see this time though... I didn't have two 1 year olds last time.  Wish me luck.

You know it's not working

You know time-out isn't working when...

You have to say, "No, we don't sing in time out."
You have to say, "No, we're not going to get cookies while we're in time out."
You have to say, "No, we don't get to play with Sammy in time out."
You have to interrupt time out with a swat on the bum and send her to her room so that she'll even register that she's in trouble.

Fun!

$2 tuesday at Thanksgiving Point.

Goodby dinner for Grandpa

So Grandpa and Charolotte have started their 3 day jaunt back home to Arizona... and they're pretty sure that this will be their last trip up here. So what do Ellis' do best? We have a party with lots of food. (That's what Grandma said before she died... I don't want you to mourn for me... just have a potluck and jump on the trampoline.) Here are some pictures for those that weren't able to be there.

It was really cute... after this picture was taken I asked Ada if she loved Grandpa and she reached up and held his cheek in her hand and said, "Yes!"

Clara was so danged cute! Sorry for the multiple pictures of her....

The kids were having a "Talent Night" taking turns playing on the piano and dancing together.

My Sammy and me.  I really don't like pictures that show my double chin, but oh well.

Ada took turns tying up Jer and I with a 10 foot long jump rope.  She thought it was hilarious... and Jer made it fun for her... he jumped around and exaggerated that he was 'trapped'.

Grandpa visiting with Sharon, Uncle Frank and Aunt Margaret (Grandma's brother).

Sammy decided that Great-Great Uncle Frank's dessert was better tasting than mine.

Sharon is so cute with Sammy!  They're little buddies!

And I'm glad that Jer took the time to talk to Grandpa a little.  It made me so happy!

Melissia and Tyrone especially always make me laugh... it's funny because they're almost 10 years younger than me and they're some of the cousins that I keep up with.

We love your happy faces! 

Congrats!

Congrats Tiff and Tim! I'm excited for you guys! You're a good fit! We had fun all day at your sealing (I cried... I love watching Grandpa seal his own grandchildren. There's definitely something special in that.), LOVED your luncheon, and your reception was gorgeous! Love you guys! And let's make sure to go hiking before too long!

New accessory

Ada's decided that this eye wear is in style. She calls it her "Class"... I think she just means school class but it's pretty funny in any other context too. She says that she's going to use it to go swimming too. Cute.

Since...

Well, since we didn't go see fish yesterday and I spent my morning working on Mightyauthors stuff... I decided that we'd have an outing this afternoon. I took my kids to the Farm at Thanksgiving Point... I know it's $2 Tuesday month... but since I'm only paying for me because my kids are both under three it only cost us $3.50 to go. Sammy loved picking up leftover corn kernels to feed to the animals and Ada loved the play in the Jail and the Soil to Food or whatever kids area that is. I think she really wanted to ride the ponies too, but we only had one ticket so we all rode the carriage ride instead. As we were leaving they had one of their cows in there to be milked and you could try milking it but I think Ada wasn't quite understanding what was going on. She thought the cow was cute but didn't really get excited about the whole milk process until we got to the display of how they put the milk into jugs. It was fun and we were able to get back in enough time to make and eat dinner before I abandoned my family to go host Julie's baby shower. I had fun today... don't know if Jer did!

I love...

I love that since I've started getting mad at Ada for excessive crying (ie: crying when Sammy touches her, not being able to go as high as her cousin in the swing all by her self, etc... ) she has started kissing her own bumps and bruises. It's actually really cute. If she bonks her head she says, "Give it a kiss." Then she kisses her hand and touches it to her own head. I don't want to alienate her when she's hurt or upset, but she's breaking down over little things a lot less than she usually does. I guess it's just trying to find a middle ground and not being too harsh and not being too coddling either.

Great-Grandma Wilcox

It's funny. I remember my Grandma as being nice but distant... yesterday we went to visit for just a minute and she surprised me to no end with my kids. I try to visit at least once a month, but with the summer it's been really hard to. Usually she reads books with my kids and makes random comments because she can't hear me very well over the noise my kids make. Yesterday was a little different. She told Ada she had something in her pocket for her... then she reached in and pulled out an invisible ball that she threw to Ada and which Ada caught quite deftly. As they played their game of catch Sammy decided to start throwing pretend balls of his own and Ada decided that Mommy did too... so there we were... the four of us in a game of catch in my grandma's very proper and breakable sitting room. Classic!

We almost had a aquarium trip

So, I admit... I'm a flighty mom... I invited the twins to go with us up to the aquarium and the three two year olds were so excited to see the fish. Ada talked about it all morning (with the exception of the exciting car wash). My mom brought them up and we were all going to go in the same car... we got all 4 kids in the car, buckled and with books to read... and what do you know... I'd forgotten my keys... in a locked house. Darn. So we piled out to play in our backyard and eat popsicles from our outside freezer while we waited for Jer to come home. We still had fun on our almost trip to the Aquarium.

Happy Birthday Judy!

We just celebrated Judy's 60th birthday! Happy Birthday! We really enjoyed your party and thanks to Amy, Emily, Becca, and Diane for doing everything they did!

newest firsts

So... like everything living and growing family life is continually full of firsts... here are a couple that have happened lately.

Ada learned how to pedal her bike by herself... she still gets caught on things, but she's making progress!

Sammy now says "Lunch" every time he wants food... at least at our house... he still doesn't like to talk when we're at other places.

Sammy has decided that our inside slide is fun...

Ada learned how to put on her own shoes... (I've been trying to get her to for a while but she gets easily frustrated.)

Pictures of the weekend...

Saying goodby to loved ones! Good luck to you both!

Family prayer before we left.

Now... Ada somehow climbed up into the top of this cabinet and was curled up in there crying... she's not a climber so I don't know how she did it, but it was so funny! I was tempted to take a picture of her before I got her out but I figured that was too mean.

Watching the muppets.

Sharing.

Eating his popcicle... yum.

Ada and Sammy eating dinner with Grandma at our going away party for Seth and Janelle.

Grandpa with Sharon and Great Grandson Devin.

Grandpa and Charolotte and his kids, the master minds behind the party... where there's an Ellis there is a party... Diane, Moana, Mark and Beth.

Nels and my momma.

Every kid was amazed at Jer's tree climbing skills. They asked him how he got up there and he said... "I fell."

Ada didn't want to get down from the tree!

Loving Uncle Seth and Aunt Nella while she can!

So happy to see daddy!

Grandpa with Heather, Paige and Brittany.

All of Grandpa's remaining siblings. Bob and Mary, Mel and Rosemary, Le and Challe.

Grandpa and Charolotte

Sharon and Devin